Hopper outlet structure for pneumatic unloading

ABSTRACT

A pneumatic bottom discharge outlet for a covered hopper railway car having a lower fixed tubular conduit for the discharge of lading and a rotatable valve member for controlling the flow of lading into the conduit. The valve member comprises an arcuate segment positioned between the lower portions of the sloping outlet side walls and having end portions extending beyond the outlet end walls. The end portions of the valve member are suspended in secured relation to rotatable sleeves mounted on end rings fixed to the end walls. The inner surface of the end rings form a continuation of the smooth bottom of the tubular conduit without any obstruction thereby to provide an even flow path for the discharge of lading.

tJnited States Carney, Jr. et al.

atent 1191 [54] HOPPER OUTLET STRUCTURE FOR 3,572,844 3/1971 Mundinger 302/52 PNEUMATIC UNLOADING Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk [75] Inventors gi gig fggg i fiz ag Assistant Examiner-W. Scott Carson Attorney-Eugene N. Riddle [73] Assignee: ACF Industries, Incorporated, New

Ymk, 57 ABSTRACT [22] Elm: July 1971 A pneumatic bottom discharge outlet for a covered 2 1 1 3,702 hopper railway car having a lower fixed tubular conduit for the discharge of lading and a rotatable valve member for controlling the flow of lading into the [52] US. Cl. 302/52 conduit. The valve member comprises an arcuate [51] Int Cl B65 53/40 g ment posltloned between the lower p of the [58] Fleid 0f Search 203/52 p g outlet Side walls and having end p i tending beyond the outlet end walls. The end portions -[561 References C'ted of the valve member are suspended in secured relation UNITED STATES PATENTS to rotatable sleevesmounted on end rings fixed to the 3,482,741 12/1969 Fritz 302/52 x end walls. The inner surface of the end rings form a 3,527,503 9/1970 Mundinger.... 302/52 continuation of the smooth bottom of the tubular con- 3,l94,420 7/1965 Kemp et al. 302/52 X duit without any obstruction thereby to provide an 3,439,956 4/1969 Ingram et al 302/52 even fl path f the discharge f lading 3,306,675 2/1967 Fritz 302/52 3,583,768 6/1971 Koranda 302/52 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures o o o o o o o o o o i 1 o i i 1 32 54m 7a 1 =0 a A h 3 f 1t 2 I r j r r r \Jf j r f \J u v I i 1 F o i i 0 6a 3 a a 3 n": J 5 hi 5 2o tea 4s a o i l o 62,

1 l ea&/ 66 o o o o o o o o o o PMENWMH: 1 1 ma SHEEF 1 [IF 3 INVENTORS.

JOHN L. CARNEY,JR RICHARD H. DUGG ATTORNEY PMENIED DEC 1 1 I975 SHEET 2 OF 3 mmlm SHEET 3 OF 3 WUENIED DEC 1 1 I975 FIG. 3.

HOPPER OUTLET STRUCTURE FOR PNEUMATIC UNLOADING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore, in pneumatic bottom discharge outlets for covered hopper railway cars, it has been common to provide an inner tube mounted for rotation within a fixed outer conduit or tube with openings in the inner tube to permit lading to enter the inner tube for discharge. By mounting an inner tube within an outer conduit, a restricted space or clearance is provided between the lower surface of the inner tube and the bottom of the fixed outer conduit. Lading, such as plastic pellets and the like, normally enters the space between the inner tube and the bottom of the outer conduit and this oftentimes makes the innertube inner tube to rotate as binding occurs between the lading and the outer surface of the tube. Further, lower bearing support surfaces for the inner tube heretofore have been provided adjacent the end walls and projections adjacent each end wall provide an area in which lading collects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present bottom discharge pneumatic outlet includes a valve member of an arcuate segment positioned between the lower portions of the side walls with end portions of the valve member extending beyond the end walls. End rings are secured to the end walls for supporting rotatable sleeves thereon. The end portions of the valve segment are secured to the rotatable sleeves in suspended relation. As the valve member does not require any lower bearing surfaces, the end rings form a smooth continuation of the inner surface of the fixed bowl-shaped outlet conduit to permit the free flow of lading without obstruction upon discharge. As the valve member is not positioned adjacent the bottom of the fixed pneumatic conduit, any binding resulting from lading between the valve member and the penumatic conduit is minimized.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

. In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a top plan of the bottom discharge outlet structure comprising the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the bottom outlet discharge structure in FIG. 1 illustrated as secured to the lower portion of a hopper;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section similar to FIG. 5 but showing the valve member in a closed position;

FIG. 7 is a section similar to FIG. 5 but showing the valve member in a full open position; and

FIG. 8 is a plan of the blank from which the valve member is formed.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of this invention, the bottom discharge outlet structure is generally indicated 10 and has an upper circumferential flange 12 thereabout. A hopper structure is shown at 14 in FIG. 2 and has a lower circumferential flange 16 thereon. A gasket 18 is positioned between flanges 12 and 16 and outlet structure 10 is suitably secured by nut and bolt combinations to hopper structure 14.

Outlet structure 10 includes a pair of side walls 20 sloping downwardly and having lower portions terminating in lips 22. A lower housing or pneumatic conduit 24 extends downwardly from lips 22 to provide a conduit for the discharge of lading. End walls 26 connect the ends of side slope sheets 20. Fixed to each end wall 26 is an end ring 28. The inner surface 30 of end ring 28 is flush with the inner surface or bottom of conduit 24 to form a smooth continuation thereof as shown particularly in FIG. 3. A sleeve 32 is mounted on each bearing 34 which extends about end ring 28. Sleeve 32 rotates freely about end ring 28. A circumferential rim 36 is provided on the outer end of sleeve 32. An inner groove 38 receives an adapter fitting 40 to which a pneumatic hose or the like (not shown) may be connected for the pneumatic discharge of the lading from discharge outlet 10. A gasket 42 is positioned on the outer end of circumferential rim 36 and a removable end cap generally indicated 44 may be positioned over adapter 40 adjacent gasket 42.

For securing end cap 44 in position, a bail generally indicated 46 is provided having parallel arms 48 connected by a body 50. Arms 48 have slots 51 receiving pins 52 in brackets 54 secured to end wall 26. A bracket 58 on body 50 has a handle 60 pivotally mounted thereon about pivot 62. Handle 60 has a cam 64 adjacent one end thereof which is adapted to contact the outer surface of end cap 44. A chain66 is connected to the sides of end cap 44 and is anchored at 68 to the underside of circumferential flange 12. A strap or hanger 70 is secured to the upper surface of flange 16 and extends outwardly as shown in FIG. 3 to provide a support for cap 44 when the cap is removed from the end of pneumatic outlet 10 as shown in FIG. 3.

To remove cap 44 from its closed position for discharge of lading, handle 60 is first rotated to release cam 64 from tight engagement with cap 44. In this position, bail 46 is pivoted upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 3 with bail 46 slipping downwardly with slots 51 riding along pins 52. In this position, cap 44 may be removed and placed on hanger 70 as shown in FIG. 3 in broken lines.

A valve member is generally indicated 72 and has end portions 71 thereon which extend within sleeves 32. Bolts 73 as shown in FIG. 4 secure end portions 71 to the adjacent sleeves 32. Handles 74 are secured to each side of each sleeve 32 and are adapted to be gripped manually for rotation of sleeve 32 and the asso ciated valve member 72.

Valve member 72 has an integral stiffener rib 75. A series of teeth 76 is arranged on one side of valve member 72 for around one-half the length of valve member 72 adjacent one end thereof. A series of teeth 78 is arranged on the opposite side of valve member 72 for the remaining one-half of the length of valve member 72. A marginal edge portion 80 adjacent teeth 76 projects outwardly beyond teeth 76, and a marginal edge portion 82 projects outwardly on the other side of valve member 72 beyond teeth 78. Short indentations 76A and long indentations 76B adjacent teeth 76 provide a control for the discharge of lading. Similar indentations 78A and 78B adjacent teeth 78 are arranged on the opposite side of valve member 72.

Normally, discharge of lading is first commenced from the remote portion of the outlet with respect to the discharge end of the outlet. Then, lading from the adjacent portion of the outlet is discharged. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, valve member 72 is opened slightly for an initial discharge of lading with indentations 76A and 76B positioned between lips 22 for the discharge of lading. After the lading discharge has been commenced, valve member 72 may be rotated in steps depending on the type of lading and the discharge pressure to a full open position with teeth 76 removed from between lips 22. In this position margin portion 80 covers the area between lips 22 for the remaining length of outlet and the lading is discharged only from onehalf the length of outlet 10. When desired to unload from the remaining one-half of outlet structure 10, valve member 72 may be rotated in an opposite direction until teeth 78 are in the position of teeth 76 on the opposite side of housing 24. FIG. 6 shows valve member 72 in a full closed position with marginal edge portions 80 and 82 projecting beyond the adjacent teeth 76 and 78.

As end portions 71 of valve member 72 are secured to rotatable sleeves 32 in a suspended position, no lower bearing surfaces are required for valve member 72. Thus, end ring 28 may have its inner surface 30 flush with the inner surface of housing 24 since no support has to be provided by end rings 28 for valve member 72. The entire bottom of conduit or housing 24 is unobstructed and lading does not collect in the bottom of conduit 24 to interfere with the rotation of valve member 72. A very effective cleanout of the outlet structure is provided upon unloading.

What is claimed is:

1. An outlet structure adapted to be secured beneath a hopper comprising: a pair of oppositely facing side walls sloping downwardly toward each other in a generally smooth relation and having spaced lower portions defining a hopper discharge opening; a pair of end walls connecting the sloping side walls; a housing integral with the spaced lower portions of the side walls and extending longitudinally between the end walls for receiving lading therein, said housing having a lower troughshaped internal periphery; a bearing ring secured to the outer surface of each end wall, the lower inner surface of said ring having an internal periphery at least as great as the internal periphery of said housing; a sleeve rotatably mounted about the outer surface of each bearing ring, said sleeve having a lower internal periphery at least as great as the lower internal periphery of said bearing ring; the lower internal peripheries of said housing, bearing ring and sleeve being essentially free of projections causing lading passing therethrough to be trapped thereby; a valve member having an arcuate cross section extending longitudinally between the sleeves and transversely between the spaced lower portions of the side walls; means on said sleeves securing end portions of the valve member to the sleeves in a suspended relation for rotation with the sleeves; said valve member having at least one first valve opening therein adjacent one longitudinal end portion thereof and at least one second valve opening adjacent the other longitudinal end portion, said first valve opening being offset with respect to said second valve opening; said valve being movable between a fully closed position wherein said valve completely closes off said hopper discharge opening and a plurality of open positions wherein one of said first and second valve openings is in communication with said hopper discharge opening while the other of said first and second valve openings is closed, said arcuate valve cross section comprising an angle sufficiently less than 360 whereby in partly open positions the lower internal periphery of said housing is substantially unobstructed by said valve; whereby the lading may be discharged first from one end of said hopper discharge opening through one of said first and second valve openings and then from the other end of said hopper discharge opening through the other of said first and second valve openings, the lading passing through a first conduit the lower surface of which is defined by said trough-shaped internal periphery and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member, and then through a second conduit, the lower surface of which is defined by said bearing ring and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member and then through a third conduit defined by said sleeves; and whereby a vacuum applied to said third conduit to discharge the lading is applied to the entire longitudinal length of the gap between said valve and said housing with essentially no dead areas whereby lading located in said gap may be removed by the action of said vacuum, and whereby any lading trapped between said valve member and said fixed housing which is not removed by the action of said vacuum can drop into said first conduit as said valve member is rotated back and forth and thus be discharged through said first, second and third conduits; said outlet being sufficiently effective in discharging lading that essentially all of the lading passing into the outlet is removed during discharge, and it is not necessary to disassemble the outlet prior to discharging a lading different than that previously discharged.

2. An outlet structure adapted to be secured beneath a hopper comprising: a pair of oppositely facing side walls sloping downwardly toward each other in a generally smooth relation and having spaced lower portions defining a hopper discharge opening; a pair of end walls connecting the sloping side walls; a housing integral with the spaced lower portions of the side walls and extending longitudinally between the end walls for receiving lading therein, said housing having a lower troughshaped internal periphery; a bearing ring secured to the outer surface of each end wall, the lower inner surface of said ring having an internal periphery at least as great and substantially continuous with the internal periphery of said housing; a sleeve rotatably mounted about the outer surface of each bearing ring, said sleeve having a lower internal periphery greater than the lower internal periphery of said bearing ring; the lower internal peripheries of said housing, bearing ring and sleeve being essentially free of projections causing lading passing therethrough to be trapped thereby; a valve member having an arcuate cross section extending longitudinally between the sleeves and transversely between the spaced lower portions of the side walls; means on said sleeves securing end portions of the valve member to the sleeves in a suspended relation for rotation with the sleeves; said valve member having at least one first valve opening therein adjacent one longitudinal end portion and at least one second valve opening adjacent the other longitudinal end portion, said first valve opening being offset with respect to said second valve opening; said valve being movable between a fully closed position wherein said valve completely closes off said hopper discharge opening and a plurality of open positions wherein one of said first and second valve openings is in communication with said hopper discharge opening while the other of said first and second valve openings is closed, said arcuate valve cross section comprising an angle sufficiently less than 360 wyereby in partly open positions the lower internal periphery of said housing is substantially unobstructed by said valve; whereby the lading may'be discharged first from one end of said hopper discharge opening through one of said first and second valve openings and then from the other end of said hopper discharge opening through the other of said first and second valve openings, the lading passing through a first conduit the lower surface of which is defined by said trough-shaped internal periphery and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member, and then through a second conduit, the lower surface of which is defined by said bearing ring and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member and then through a third conduit defined by said sleeve; and whereby a vacuum applied to said third conduit to discharge the lading is applied to the entire longitudinal length of the gap between said valve and said housing with essentially no dead areas whereby lading located in said gap may be removed by the action of said vacuum, and whereby any lading trapped between said valve member and said fixed housing which is not removed by the action of said vacuum can drop into said first conduit as said valve member is rotated back and forth and thus be discharged through said first, second and third conduit; said outlet being sufficiently effective in discharging lading that essentially all of the lading passing into the outlet is removed during discharge, and it is not necessary to disassemble the outlet prior to discharging a lading different from that previously discharged.

3. An outlet according to claim 2 wherein said first and second valve openings comprise first and second oppositely facing dentate portions.

d. An outlet structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein first and second marginal edge portions are provided adjacent said first and second dentate portions, said first marginal edge portion projecting beyond said second dentate portion a sufficient distance to close a first end of said hopper discharge outlet when said second dentate portion is in communication with a second end of said hopper discharge outlet, and said second marginal edge portion projecting beyond said first dentate portion a sufficient distance to close a second end of said hopper discharge outlet when said first dentate portion is in communication with a first end of said hopper discharge outlet.

5. An outlet structure according to claim 4 including an end cap removably positioned adjacent each of the sleeves.

6. An outlet structure adapted to be secured beneath a hopper comprising: a pair of oppositely facing side walls sloping downwardly toward each other in a generally smooth relation and having spaced lower portions defining a hopper discharge opening; a pair of end walls connecting the sloping side walls; a housing integral with the spaced lower portions of the side walls and extending longitudinally between the end walls for receiving lading therein; said housing having a generally troughshaped internal periphery; a bearing ring secured to the outer surface of each end wall, the lower inner surface of said ring having an internal periphery at least as great and substantially the same as the internal periphery of said housing; a sleeve rotatably mounted about the outer surface of each bearing ring, said sleeve having a lower internal periphery greater than the lower internal periphery of said bearing ring; the lower internal peripheries of said housing, bearing ring and sleeve being essentially free of projections causing lading passing therethrough to be trapped thereby; a valve member having an arcuate cross section extending longitudinally between the sleeves and transversely between the spaced lower portions of the side walls; means on said sleeves securing end portions of the valve member to the sleeves in a suspended relation for rotation with the sleeves; said valve member having at least one first valve opening therein adjacent one longitudinal end portion and at least one second valve opening adjacent the other longitudinal end portion, said first and second valve openings being offset with respect to each other and comprising oppositely facing first and second dentate portions; said valve member further comprising first and second margin portions adjacent said first and second dentate portions, said first margin portion projecting beyond said second dentate portion a sufficient distance to close a first end of said hopper discharge outlet when said second dentate portion is in communication with a second end of said hopper discharge outlet, and said second margin portion projecting beyond said first dentate portion a sufficient distance to close a second end of said hopper discharge outlet when said first dentate portion is in communication with a first end of said hopper discharge outlet, said valve being movable between a fully closed position wherein said valve completely closes off said hopper discharge opening and a plurality of open positions wherein one of said first and second valve openings is in communication with said hopper discharge opening while the other of said first and second valve openings is closed, said arcute valve cross section comprising an angle sufficiently less than 360 whereby in partly open positions the lower internal periphery of said housing is substantially unobstructed by said valve whereby the lading may be discharged first from one end of said hopper discharge opening through one of said first and second valve openings and then from the other end of said hopper discharge opening through the other of said first and second valve openings, the lading passing through a first conduit the lower surface of which is defined by said trough-Shaped internal periphery and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member, and then through a second conduit, the'lower surface of which is defined by said bearing ring and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member and then through a third conduit defined by said sleeve; and whereby a vacuum applied to said third conduit to discharge the lading is applied to the entire longitudinal length of the gap between said valve and said housing with essentially no dead areas whereby lading located in said gap may be removed by the action of said vacuum, and whereby any lading trapped between said valve member and said fixed housing which is not removed by the action of said vacuum can drop into said first conduit as said valve member is rotated back and forth and thus be discharged through said first, second and third conduits; said outlet being sufficiently effective in discharging lading that essentially all of the lading passing into the outlet is removed during discharge, and it is not necessary to disassemble the outlet prior to discharging a lading different from that previously discharged. 

1. An outlet structure adapted to be secured beneath a hopper comprising: a pair of oppositely facing side walls sloping downwardly toward each other in a generally smooth relation and having spaced lower portions defining a hopper discharge opening; a pair of end walls connecting the sloping side walls; a housing integral with the spaced lower portions of the side walls and extending longitudinally between the end walls for receiving lading therein, said housing having a lower trough-shaped internal periphery; a bearing ring secured to the outer surface of each end wall, the lower inner surface of said ring having an internal periphery at least as great as the internal periphery of said housing; a sleeve rotatably mounted about the outer surface of each bearing ring, said sleeve having a lower internal periphery at least as great as the lower internal periphery of said bearing ring; the lower internal peripheries of said housing, bearing ring and sleeve being essentially free of projections causing lading passing therethrough to be trapped thereby; a valve member having an arcuate cross section extending longitudinally between the sleeves and transversely between the spaced lower portions of the side walls; means on said sleeves securing end portions of the valve member to the sleeves in a suspended relation for rotation with the sleeves; said valve member having at least one first valve opening therein adjacent one longitudinal end portion thereof and at least one second valve opening adjacent the other longitudinal end portion, said first valve opening being offset with respect to said second valve opening; said valve being movable between a fully closed position wherein said valve completely closes off said hopper discharge opening and a plurality of open positions wherein one of said first and second valve openings is in communication with said hopper discharge opening while the other of said first and second valve openings is closed, said arcuate valve cross section comprising an angle sufficiently less than 360* whereby in partly open positions the lower internal periphery of said housing is substantially unobstructed by said valve; whereby the lading may be discharged first from one end of said hopper discharge opening through onE of said first and second valve openings and then from the other end of said hopper discharge opening through the other of said first and second valve openings, the lading passing through a first conduit the lower surface of which is defined by said trough-shaped internal periphery and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member, and then through a second conduit, the lower surface of which is defined by said bearing ring and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member and then through a third conduit defined by said sleeves; and whereby a vacuum applied to said third conduit to discharge the lading is applied to the entire longitudinal length of the gap between said valve and said housing with essentially no dead areas whereby lading located in said gap may be removed by the action of said vacuum, and whereby any lading trapped between said valve member and said fixed housing which is not removed by the action of said vacuum can drop into said first conduit as said valve member is rotated back and forth and thus be discharged through said first, second and third conduits; said outlet being sufficiently effective in discharging lading that essentially all of the lading passing into the outlet is removed during discharge, and it is not necessary to disassemble the outlet prior to discharging a lading different than that previously discharged.
 2. An outlet structure adapted to be secured beneath a hopper comprising: a pair of oppositely facing side walls sloping downwardly toward each other in a generally smooth relation and having spaced lower portions defining a hopper discharge opening; a pair of end walls connecting the sloping side walls; a housing integral with the spaced lower portions of the side walls and extending longitudinally between the end walls for receiving lading therein, said housing having a lower trough-shaped internal periphery; a bearing ring secured to the outer surface of each end wall, the lower inner surface of said ring having an internal periphery at least as great and substantially continuous with the internal periphery of said housing; a sleeve rotatably mounted about the outer surface of each bearing ring, said sleeve having a lower internal periphery greater than the lower internal periphery of said bearing ring; the lower internal peripheries of said housing, bearing ring and sleeve being essentially free of projections causing lading passing therethrough to be trapped thereby; a valve member having an arcuate cross section extending longitudinally between the sleeves and transversely between the spaced lower portions of the side walls; means on said sleeves securing end portions of the valve member to the sleeves in a suspended relation for rotation with the sleeves; said valve member having at least one first valve opening therein adjacent one longitudinal end portion and at least one second valve opening adjacent the other longitudinal end portion, said first valve opening being offset with respect to said second valve opening; said valve being movable between a fully closed position wherein said valve completely closes off said hopper discharge opening and a plurality of open positions wherein one of said first and second valve openings is in communication with said hopper discharge opening while the other of said first and second valve openings is closed, said arcuate valve cross section comprising an angle sufficiently less than 360* wyereby in partly open positions the lower internal periphery of said housing is substantially unobstructed by said valve; whereby the lading may be discharged first from one end of said hopper discharge opening through one of said first and second valve openings and then from the other end of said hopper discharge opening through the other of said first and second valve openings, the lading passing through a first conduit the lower surface of which is defined by said trough-shaped internal periphery and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member, And then through a second conduit, the lower surface of which is defined by said bearing ring and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member and then through a third conduit defined by said sleeve; and whereby a vacuum applied to said third conduit to discharge the lading is applied to the entire longitudinal length of the gap between said valve and said housing with essentially no dead areas whereby lading located in said gap may be removed by the action of said vacuum, and whereby any lading trapped between said valve member and said fixed housing which is not removed by the action of said vacuum can drop into said first conduit as said valve member is rotated back and forth and thus be discharged through said first, second and third conduit; said outlet being sufficiently effective in discharging lading that essentially all of the lading passing into the outlet is removed during discharge, and it is not necessary to disassemble the outlet prior to discharging a lading different from that previously discharged.
 3. An outlet according to claim 2 wherein said first and second valve openings comprise first and second oppositely facing dentate portions.
 4. An outlet structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein first and second marginal edge portions are provided adjacent said first and second dentate portions, said first marginal edge portion projecting beyond said second dentate portion a sufficient distance to close a first end of said hopper discharge outlet when said second dentate portion is in communication with a second end of said hopper discharge outlet, and said second marginal edge portion projecting beyond said first dentate portion a sufficient distance to close a second end of said hopper discharge outlet when said first dentate portion is in communication with a first end of said hopper discharge outlet.
 5. An outlet structure according to claim 4 including an end cap removably positioned adjacent each of the sleeves.
 6. An outlet structure adapted to be secured beneath a hopper comprising: a pair of oppositely facing side walls sloping downwardly toward each other in a generally smooth relation and having spaced lower portions defining a hopper discharge opening; a pair of end walls connecting the sloping side walls; a housing integral with the spaced lower portions of the side walls and extending longitudinally between the end walls for receiving lading therein; said housing having a generally trough-shaped internal periphery; a bearing ring secured to the outer surface of each end wall, the lower inner surface of said ring having an internal periphery at least as great and substantially the same as the internal periphery of said housing; a sleeve rotatably mounted about the outer surface of each bearing ring, said sleeve having a lower internal periphery greater than the lower internal periphery of said bearing ring; the lower internal peripheries of said housing, bearing ring and sleeve being essentially free of projections causing lading passing therethrough to be trapped thereby; a valve member having an arcuate cross section extending longitudinally between the sleeves and transversely between the spaced lower portions of the side walls; means on said sleeves securing end portions of the valve member to the sleeves in a suspended relation for rotation with the sleeves; said valve member having at least one first valve opening therein adjacent one longitudinal end portion and at least one second valve opening adjacent the other longitudinal end portion, said first and second valve openings being offset with respect to each other and comprising oppositely facing first and second dentate portions; said valve member further comprising first and second margin portions adjacent said first and second dentate portions, said first margin portion projecting beyond said second dentate portion a sufficient distance to close a first end of said hopper discharge outlet when said second dentate portion is in communication with a second end of saId hopper discharge outlet, and said second margin portion projecting beyond said first dentate portion a sufficient distance to close a second end of said hopper discharge outlet when said first dentate portion is in communication with a first end of said hopper discharge outlet, said valve being movable between a fully closed position wherein said valve completely closes off said hopper discharge opening and a plurality of open positions wherein one of said first and second valve openings is in communication with said hopper discharge opening while the other of said first and second valve openings is closed, said arcute valve cross section comprising an angle sufficiently less than 360* whereby in partly open positions the lower internal periphery of said housing is substantially unobstructed by said valve whereby the lading may be discharged first from one end of said hopper discharge opening through one of said first and second valve openings and then from the other end of said hopper discharge opening through the other of said first and second valve openings, the lading passing through a first conduit the lower surface of which is defined by said trough-Shaped internal periphery and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member, and then through a second conduit, the lower surface of which is defined by said bearing ring and the upper surface of which is defined by said valve member and then through a third conduit defined by said sleeve; and whereby a vacuum applied to said third conduit to discharge the lading is applied to the entire longitudinal length of the gap between said valve and said housing with essentially no dead areas whereby lading located in said gap may be removed by the action of said vacuum, and whereby any lading trapped between said valve member and said fixed housing which is not removed by the action of said vacuum can drop into said first conduit as said valve member is rotated back and forth and thus be discharged through said first, second and third conduits; said outlet being sufficiently effective in discharging lading that essentially all of the lading passing into the outlet is removed during discharge, and it is not necessary to disassemble the outlet prior to discharging a lading different from that previously discharged. 